Students pick Kensington resident as AU Faculty Member of the Year

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

W. Joseph Campbell has traveled the world as a foreign correspondent, authored books about the media and taught hundreds of students as a university professor. And now the Kensington resident has a new title — American University Faculty Member of the Year.

Campbell, who has taught at the Washington, D.C., university since 1997, was selected to receive the honor by the American University Student Government.

The award is given annually to a professor who stands out when it comes to being an advocate for students, according to Student Government Secretary, Joe Vidulich.

Campbell was selected from a list of about 50 professors, Vidulich said.

The way the process works is students send in recommendations of professors they think should receive the honor and four student government officers, the president, vice president, comptroller and secretary, make the final decision, Vidulich said.

‘‘[The selection process] normally takes us a couple of hours. This took us about five minutes,” he said. ‘‘This year Dr. Campbell stood out right off the bat. I know him both as my professor and as someone who works with students. Even in the classroom he’s just amazing. He just engages students.”

Since joining the university, Campbell organized the ‘‘Finest Faculty” lecture series, which brings students and teachers together to talk about education and scholarship. Campbell has also taught 17 different classes in the university’s School of Communication. He has published three books and previously worked as a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer in Ohio, the Hartford Courant in Connecticut and the Associated Press in Africa and Europe.

Planning Board to discussCircle Manor Thursday

Residents interested in the progress of Circle Manor can attend a public hearing sponsored by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, will be the first time the Planning Board hears testimony and reviews county staff reports about possible future uses for the building.

The Planning Board will not vote at the hearing.

The hearing is the latest attempt by Park and Planning, which agreed to buy the property last December, to elicit public input while trying to make a decision about the building’s future use.

At an April 8 workshop residents expressed interest in seeing the building used as senior housing, a work space for artists, a bed and breakfast or for rent by a nonprofit or business organization.

Before Circle Manor, located at 10231 Carroll Pace, closed last July, the building and surrounding 4.5 acres had become, over the years, a sort of town hub, having been host to Easter egg hunts, Earth Day celebrations and concerts.

As residents follow the process, county officials are completing the sale of the property and working with the town on an agreement that could have the town paying 25 percent of the mansion’s $6.4 million sale price.

Have fun, listen to musicat the Garrett Park musicale

The public is invited to Garrett Park’s annual spring musicale, an afternoon of music and fun that highlights local musicians.

The event will start at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Garrett Park Town Hall, 10814 Kenilworth Ave.

It will feature the Garrett Park Singers, as well as other musicians singing and playing instruments.

This is the 10-year anniversary for the event, which also doubles as a fund-raiser that provides scholarships to young musicians.

Tickets can be purchased Saturday at the Garrett Park Post Office, 4600 Waverly Ave., or by e-mailing Meme Lincoln at Megumi.Lincoln@comcast.net.

Congratulations to...

Kensington residents Cynthia Davis, Nathalie Orellana and Wanessa Alves, winners of the Universities at Shady Grove Academic Achievement Award. Davis, Orellana and Alves were among 16 college seniors from USG partner schools selected to receive the award, which is given to students based on their skills, leadership and academic work. The students were chosen by faculty and directors from within their degree program.

Davis is a student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in Social Work program. She has a 4.0 GPA and plans to attend graduate school at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the fall.

Orellana is a student at the University of Maryland, College Park at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. She is a member of the American Marketing Association and has plans to get a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She also has a 4.0 GPA.

Alves, a Brazil native who grew up in Central and South America, is a student at the University of Maryland University College in the Business Administration program. She has plans to work in the administration or human resources field for a large company.

Garrett Park film nightto highlight German culture

On Friday, residents can celebrate the German culture by participating in an evening of film, food and fun.

The Garrett Park Film Society will be showing the German film, ‘‘Good Bye, Lenin” at 8 p.m. Friday in the Town Hall, 10814 Kenilworth Ave.

Before the film, participants can join in on a bratwurst fest that starts at 7:15 p.m.

Among the German fixings there will be grilled pork, beef or vegetarian tofu bratwursts, sauerkraut, German potato salad, hard rolls and mustard, imported beer and German desserts.

Non-film society members must pay an entrance fee — $5 per person, $10 for families.

The entry fee does not include the price of food.

Membership rates vary. Membership forms are posted on the bulletin board at the Garrett Park Post Office located on the first floor of 4600 Waverly Ave.

Dates are subject to change. Members will be notified of the change, but non-members should call the Town Office at 301-933-7488 for time and date verification.

Kensington movie makerto make feature film debut

You can learn a lot about a person on a first date. And now Kensington filmmaker Sujewa Ekanayake invites you to experience several first dates during the Washington D.C. premiere of his first full-length film, ‘‘Date Number One.”

The film is a series of vignettes about first dates and took about two years to make, Ekanayake said

The screening will take place at 7 p.m. and at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Goethe-Institut, 812 Seventh St., NW.

Tickets cost $8.

For more information about the screening, contact Ekanayake at 240-354-3394 or visit his Web site at www.wilddiner.com.

Donate or buy itemsat St. Paul’s yard sale

The public is invited to participate in an upcoming yard sale at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

Participants can either donate items for sale or shop for items on the day of the sale.

The church will not accept computers, exercise equipment and children’s car seats as donations.

The sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday in the church’s Heavener Hall, 10401 Armory Ave., Kensington.

Residents wanting to donate items can bring them to the church any time during business hours before the yard sale.